With legislators embarking on a new session this week, top leaders from the legislature’s chambers stated that they expect to see efforts on cannabis reforms in 2021, especially regarding expanding Texas’s stringent medical marijuana program. However, the top-tier legislators pointed out that approval of adult-use marijuana is unlikely, thanks to the Senate’s cynicism.
The House Speaker, Phelan Dade, said that the previous session was decorated with multiple cannabis reforms such as small authorization of small amounts, complete marijuana decriminalization, or marijuana for health-related concerns. He thinks that the House will take a gander at these reforms and review them again; some may advance while others may wither.
Dade, who was elected to the House’s top office on Tuesday, and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick talked about the legislature’s agenda during an interview with KTRK-TV.
Regarding whether the wide-scale decriminalization will advance past his chamber this year, Dan responded that it didn’t pass last time. He meant that he previously killed marijuana policy changes.
However, about the possibility of expanding Texas’s existing limited medical marijuana regulations, Patrick said that it would be considered during this session.
Legislators submitted several cannabis legislation pieces before the new session. These pieces include adult-use marijuana legalization, high-THC authorization for medical purposes, and the legalization of small amounts of cannabis.
While the lieutenant governor indicated he’s open to some medical marijuana related policy changes, he rebuffed the more ambitious measures.
He said that although his administration has an ear for health problems, it wouldn’t turn its system to resemble California’s, where anyone can get a doctor’s prescription to ingest marijuana.
Currently, Texas has the most prohibitive medical cannabis systems across the United States. It allows patients with minimal severe conditions to legally obtain commodities with about 0.5% THC, a limit that’s slightly above the federally permitted 0.3% legal hemp.
